1.7-kg Baby Treated For Rare Brain Disorder in Visakhapatnam

Doctors in Visakhapatnam have successfully performed a complex neurovascular procedure on a premature baby weighing just 1.7 kg after diagnosing it with Vein of Galen Malformation (VoGM), a rare congenital brain vascular disorder. 

The procedure was carried out by the hospital's multidisciplinary neonatal team in collaboration with interventional neurovascular specialist Dr Siva Sankar Dalai.

VoGM is a rare congenital condition in which abnormal blood vessels allow blood to flow directly from arteries into veins, placing excessive strain on the heart and circulation. Without timely treatment, it can lead to heart failure, respiratory distress, multiple organ



dysfunction and a high risk of death. 

The disorder was detected during late pregnancy in an IVF conception after routine antenatal scans revealed abnormal blood flow in the foetal brain. The baby was delivered prematurely and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

After stabilising the infant's condition, doctors performed an endovascular procedure using a catheter guided through tiny blood vessels to block the abnormal connections and restore normal blood flow. "Early intervention was critical to give the child a chance at a normal life," Dr Dalai said. The baby is under observation in the NICU and has shown improved cardiac function with stable vital signs.